


New Perspective

by lollysfic



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 01:18:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7824532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lollysfic/pseuds/lollysfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s always a second chance at happiness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Perspective

Jealousy pools hot in his stomach; it had just been a kiss on the cheek but it had felt like a punch in the face to Aaron. He doesn’t know why he thought Jackson would want anything to do with him, but after seeing him show up in court Aaron felt like their friendship at least, could be salvaged. He lets Adam lead him out of the bar, his hand a comforting weight on Aaron’s shoulder.

“You need to start moving on, mate.” Adam tells him when they say their goodbyes at Paddy’s.

_Easier said than done_ , Aaron thinks.

~*~

“Nice calendar.” a familiar voice comments, eyeing the half naked man hanging up on the garage wall.

Cain had insisted they keep it up to embarrass Aaron and it made him smile. Aaron never thought his uncle would be so supportive and accepting; it meant a great deal to him.

“Cain’s idea.” Aaron replies, turning towards Jackson.

“Oh are you turning the rest of the Dingles now too?” Jackson asks, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Shut up.” Aaron tells him, trying not to smile back at Jackson. He’s missed this; their warm, playful banter. Aaron clears his throat.

“Did you, uh- want something?” he asks. Jackson’s gaze turns serious.

“Yeah, I’m gonna be working around here for a while for Declan, Adam recommended me to him. I hope it wont be a problem?” Jackson asks, his voice soft and cautious. Aaron fumes silently, he’s going to murder Adam later.

“Why would it be a problem? Aaron snaps. Jackson sighs and turns to leave.

“Right. No problem, great.” Jackson mutters. The anger fades from Aaron as quickly as it had arrived.

“Wait! Sorry, it’s really not a problem. Maybe we could even go for a pint sometime, if you wanted..” Aaron trails off.

“Maybe. Well, I’ll see you around Aaron.”

“Yeah, see ya.” Aaron mumbles.

His stomach is churning and he feels sick. He’s going to have to walk by and see Jackson every day for weeks. How the hell is he supposed to get over the lad now? Aaron really is going to murder Adam later.

“Mate, I was trying to help, I can see how much you like him and I thought that if he’s working nearby then you’d get more chances to talk to him. He can’t ignore you every time, right?” Adam explains to Aaron later in The Woolpack. Aaron had been distracted for the rest of the day and he badly needed a pint.

“He thinks I’m a head case and he’s not interested. He made that pretty clear.” Aaron mutters, darkly. A flash of jealousy flairs when he thinks of Jackson and the bloke from the bar.

“Then why did he take a job across from where you work?” Adam asks.

“Because it’s a job and it doesn’t bother him where it is.” Adam shakes his head in disagreement.

“Nah mate, I’m telling ya he’s still interested.”

Aaron just sighs, drinks his pint and tries to squash the glimmer of hope that Adam’s words have given him.

~*~

A couple of weeks pass by and he and Jackson are becoming proper mates again; they joke around and chat easily when they see each other and have lunch in the café a couple of times. It’s good but sometimes Aaron thinks it would be better if he didn’t have to see Jackson; the more time he spends with the other lad, the stronger his feelings seem to grow. He wants to believe that there’s a chance for something more and even with Adam’s reassurances of; “he’s into you mate, just give it more time”, Aaron has pretty much given up on anything happening. Maybe he really does just need to move on.

“Aaron, there’s someone here to see you.” Paddy shouts up the stairs to him.

“Who is- ?” the words die on Aaron’s lips when he sees Jackson. He smiles at Aaron.

“So, I was thinking we could go for that pint?”

~*~

Walking into Bar West has become such a regular, normal thing for Aaron over the past year that he doesn’t think of it as different anymore, it’s just a bar. He remembers the first time he walked in there; he thought he was going to throw up he was so nervous but now it just feels right. He feels safe there, like he belongs.

“Same again?” Jackson asks him.

“Only if you’re buying.” Aaron says, smirking at his boyfriend.

He is still getting used to saying that but it feels right. He and Jackson had gone for a pint; Aaron had apologised and Jackson had asked if they could start over. They had taken it slow, gotten to know each other properly and now they are pretty serious. Aaron still freaks out sometimes but now he talks to Jackson instead of pushing him away or worse, punching him.

“Cheapskate.” Jackson replies, grinning as he leans in to kiss him.

Aaron slides a hand to the back of Jackson’s neck, holding him there for a few seconds, just because he can. Kissing Jackson is definitely something that felt right really, really quickly. Aaron knows it’s going to take a while for him to be truly comfortable with who he is but as he watches Jackson go to the bar, he smiles and knows that right now, he is exactly where he wants to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Written and posted to Livejournal in 2010 when I was obsessed with this pairing. I found it on an old USB recently and decided to post it here. Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated. Title belongs to Panic! At The Disco. Enjoy!


End file.
